The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-01-14
miscellaneous.
THE TWO PEACHES.

THE TWO PEACHES.
The first time we met after q separation OF
| twenty-five years was at banquet given
by the college at which we had taken our di.
| plomas.
| Vital Herbelut had altered wonderfully,
since the days when We were schoolmates.-
had left him young timid, dressed like a
flop, and excessively modest in dcmeanor, rs
! ii was proper clerk should be who had vet
TO make his way in the Office where fortune
had placed him. The man before me now
WAS burly, stout old fellow, his face and
neck Drowned 10y the sun, with bright eye,
II loud voice, and the short, brusque manner
| OF man accustomed TO command-in short,
the easy, comfortable mlun of n wcll-,o-do
citizen.
what are you doing, Helbcot ?" said to
him rs we chatted between the cOuiscs.-
Still in the administration
an the administration should say not"
he responded. Didn't you know that had
given it up? I'm a cu,tivalor. Half league
from here, at Chnuttranc I've II farm which
brings me in round sum. Come home and
taste my Burgundy"
You inrmer YOU tac son and grandson
of II line of bureaucrats, the model clerk, the
prospective ambassador! How did it hap
pen 7"
after the banquet I'll tell you. Great
changes are frequently produced by the slight
est causes. gave up my profession for two
peaches"
1.-TWO peaches!" cried as,ouudrd.
Yes, two peaches neither more nor less !;
but have patience; wait until We are ut
Chautrrninc and you shall know all about
IT,"
A half an hour later We quit the banquet
ing room, and lighting cigars began our walk
to the farm. 1t was warm afternoon ut the
end of August, but the road was well shaded
and gentle breeze blowing from the dircc-
ton ofthe river prevented our suffering from
the cat.
"You know" said IIerbeot, beginning his
story, shat in my youth / WAS II rolling bal,
without decided preference for any profession,
but my father, an old empnye himself, could
see nothing comparable toa career in n
public cflicc AS soon, therefore, rs had
received my diploma nothing would content
him but that too must follow in the ances-
trail footsteps. AS ! said before, with no pre-
objection for II special vocation, | willingly
consented and entered upon the route of
bureaucracy.
industrious, educated and disciplined from
infancy to listen with Difference To the wishes
of my supcriors, ii was not long before was
favorably noticed by the chief, and rapidly
conquered my first official grade. At this
epoch married young and beautiful girl,
good and atlectionate, but entirely without
fortune-a grave fault in the eyes of the
world in which l lived. My friends were
positive that no good could come of it, and
openly quoted the proyerb: If the husband
brings the breakfast the wife must supply
the dinner
81 far 90 W pDnnnrna1 n.,;tIar nc
us had enough for the scanticst supper, count
ing out the official salary. Perhaps it WINS
reckless, but my wife was an excellent man.
ager; and as we lived molestly, with the
slrclcst economy, local society ceased to rail
ut our mprudence and still received us.
My chief, however, was n very rich man,
but continued in the trGadmill ofadministra-
tive work because he loved it, and also be-
cause It gave him an excuse Tor lavish hospi-
lalty. He was particularly fond of throw
ing open his doors to society, and every now
and then invited the clerks from the Office to
attend these entertainments.
81 had far rather have remained at home
with my wife, who had become very delicate
soon after marriage, but was forced, whether
or not, to attend the direc!oiial receptions, for
we were bound TO amuse ourselves according
to order
ouot Nv INV 'ihiS MY wiz bCullU
had failed her most completely invitations
were issued from the diIectoral Mansion for
grand ball. and in spite of myself | was
compelled again to don dress coat. AS the
hour approached for starting for the affair my
wife, who was celebrating the knot of my
mt ckte, said to me:
Don't forget, Ilerbclut, to look ut every
thing SO that you can tell me ali about it, and
by the way, saw from the papers that NJ. lie
Director has ordered the greatest lot of deli.
caccs from Cneviet's, among them hot house
peaches. If you love me you'll bring me one
My dear child" demonstrated, that
isn't To be done. 1t is impossible. Think
how difficult il would be for gentleman in
a dress suit to pocket peach and escape be-
ing sctn.' But the more Obj cited the moic
determined she became in the fancy. Moth
ing could be simpler in the midst of the COM
ing and going than to take peach as if for
myself,
"Perhaps it Is childish she declared, but
cannot help il. Since I've heard them talk.
ing of Cheviet's peaches I've had the greatest
desire to taste them. Promise me HerbelUi,
promise to bring me just one
"What could or any other man do under
the circumstances. | loved my wife and she
WAS i'll, and the request was not so unreason-
able after all. So | promised and hurried
from the room, the last thing ] saw as clos
I'd the door being my wifes great blue eyes
brilliant with cagerness, fixed upon my iuce
1t was grand ball indeed, flowers every
where, magnificent toilets and splendid
orchestra. Everybody was there, among
them the Project and President ofthe Trbu.
nal and the officers OF the garrison-in short
all the top of the basket. Nothing had been
spared that would give eclat to the fete over
which the wife and the daughter of the direc-
tor my chief SO gracefully presided.
"Supper was served at midnight, the dane
ers passing from the ballroom directly into
the sallc-a-manger, and gorgeous supper
il was"
II had scarcely entered the room when
saw in o most CONSPICUOUS position in the
centre of the table, the celebrated peaches
from Cheviets. Arranged in basket OF the
rartst china and delicately interpreted with
vine leaves, they proudly dispensed their ap-
petizing odors, the rich crimson and white
of the velvet skins belraying at once the
lusciousntss of the flavor"
"From the end OF the table where the SER
wants had placed me looked upon The dish
with gaze as eager US my wife's, picturing
TO myself the pleasure should give her, II
by n lucky chance Icould carry home speci-
men of the exquisite fruit. Gradually, as |
caressed them with my eyes, the desire to
possess them assumed d more determined
form. | decided that would have not ONLY